In the event of an emergency, first responders like firefighters and police will need to think – and act fast. More often than not, these brave men and women in the past were faced with the dilemma of whether to enter the building at that point in time without being able to get an idea on whether the structural integrity of the building still holds. Boston-based company Bouncing Image decided to work on a device which could potentially reduce the risks of possible death and injury to first responders in dangerous situations without breaking the bank.

Bouncing Image’s solution will feature half a dozen cameras integrated into what looks like a tennis ball. Throw this ball into an unknown area, and the camera will snap a couple of photos each second, sending it back over a wireless connection to a connected laptop. The software will get to work, stitching all the captured images in a full 360-degree panoramic image, and with the implementation of infrared LEDs, this device is also full well capable of shooting images in poorly lit rooms. Currently, this device is still under the prototype stage, although it ought to be ready for action sometime in the beginning of next year onwards. [Product Page]